Sometimes keeping up with cleaning your home can be a little exhausting. Life gets busy and there are a lot of things to accomplish in one day. It’s normal for cleaning your house to slip down the list of priorities when you’re especially busy. Even with the best of intentions, there are just times where having a few extra resources would be extremely helpful.
When you’re cleaning your house, it’s not always the first thing that comes to mind, but there are actually a lot of resources out there meant to help you stay on track. No one wants to live in a dirty home and trying to unwind after a stressful day isn’t quite as relaxing when you know there are still things to be done.
If you haven’t given possible helpful resources much thought yet, now is the time. Before you go diving into a sea of search results and even apps, check this list out. There are some resources that are more helpful than others. Here are five resources you need to know about when you’re cleaning your house.
1. Pinterest
Pinterest serves two purposes when you’re trying to get geared up for a good house cleaning session. First of all, the pictures on Pinterest are always pristine. The house cleaning tips feature homes that look amazing and it’s a good way to get some cleaning inspiration. If you’re feeling like you’re lacking incentive to clean, looking at pictures of homes that are in such great condition is good inspiration.
Pinterest also features a lot of cleaning hacks that actually work. From creative uses for baking soda to how to use vinegar to clean your microwave, most of the tips on Pinterest really do a great job. They’re especially great if you don’t want to use a lot of harsh chemicals while you’re cleaning your home. If you haven’t checked out Pinterest for cleaning tips yet, go for it.
2. The “Our Home” App
Unless you live on your own you probably share your home cleaning tasks with at least one other person. If you have a family that you need to get involved with the cleaning the Our Home app is the place to start. Think of it as an upgrade on any chore chart and stickers options you might’ve considered in the past.
The Our Home app lets you schedule chores, assign them to family members, send reminders and it even awards points for completed tasks. As long as everyone has the app on their own device they’ll be able to complete their tasks and even contribute to a shared grocery list. That means the first person to notice you’re out of ketchup can let everyone who might be going shopping know what they need to get right away.
Cleaning your house is a group effort for most families. The Our Home app lets you share some of the burdens of following up and reminding kids to get their chores done. It will take care of that part for you so you can just blame the phone (or tablet) when your kids complain about a reminder. It wasn’t you, it was the app!
3. The Catch-All Bin
This isn’t really an online resource or app but it’s a resource you can start using right away. There are usually areas in any home, big or small, where messes just kind of accumulate. High traffic areas like right by the door, for example, can become a clutter of shoes and backpacks if you (or your kids) aren’t diligent about putting things away.
Instead of stressing about the mess all the time, start using a catch-all bin instead. Put one in the areas of your house that are the biggest culprits for accumulated messes. Make sure everyone knows that anything they don’t put away needs to go in the bin. Make sure you set a day of the week that you’ll go through the bin to put things away as a group.
This resource/method won’t be helpful if you don’t stick to the plan of putting things away once a week. You can add it to your list of things in the Our Home app or just write it down somewhere. Just make sure you don’t skip the bin cleanout day. It’s what makes the clutter containment work effectively instead of just becoming another problem area.
4. Yelp!
This might seem odd as a house cleaning resource but it’s actually really helpful. You can use Yelp when you’re ready to call in the pros. Eventually, you’ll need to have your carpets cleaned professionally, or you might just need a professional organizer to come in and help you out. Whatever the need is, Yelp is a good place to find out what’s available locally.
The reviews on Yelp tend to be pretty honest and if a business is making customers happy you’ll be able to see that being talked about. The same goes for a business with a bad reputation. You might be able to find reviews on other websites or through word of mouth, but Yelp is a resource you shouldn’t forget about. It really can help find the right pro for the job when you really need it.
5. Ask A House Cleaner
Have you ever wondered what a professional cleaner might do to handle a particular mess or a stubborn stain? Ask A House Cleaner is a website dedicated to house cleaning advice directly from a professional cleaner herself. She answers questions like how to handle a bad mess, or even what to do to make sure hiring a maid will go well if that’s something you want to do.
Her insight is pretty helpful, especially if you need a little extra advice for something specific. If you haven’t checked her out yet you really should. She can give you both inspiration and some decent tips that really do work. Since she does this every day, you know she’s not going to be giving you advice that isn’t tried and true.
Conclusion:
Cleaning your house isn’t always the most fun part of your day or week but you do have a lot of resources out there to help. The next time you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done keep these resources in mind. Use the ones that work for you and get back on track quickly so you can get back to enjoying life. Happy cleaning!